MINI to concentrate on five core models in future – new logo unveiled, car-sharing programme announced

At the F54 MINI Clubman’s premiere in Berlin yesterday, the BMW Group also announced the repositioning of the MINI brand. The move is a rather comprehensive one, from a streamlining of its offerings and a move into a higher vehicle class to a new logo and typography.

The realignment of the brand’s product and brand strategy is set to see MINI adopt a “less is more” approach, concentrating on five core models in the future, according to Peter Schwarzenbauer, member of the board of management of BMW AG responsible for MINI, Rolls-Royce, BMW Motorrad and after-sales.

The primary part of the presentation was the announcement the brand will begin offering a car-sharing option from next year – a new optional equipment package will enable MINI customers to share their car with others, and customers can make their vehicle available to the DriveNow car-sharing plan when not in use.

The programme will initially be available in the US in 2016 and later in DriveNow cities. In a further step, MINI will also enable a new form of vehicle lending (peer-to-peer car sharing) for a defined circle of family and friends.

The brand is also moving into a higher vehicle class, taking it from the premium small car segment into the premium compact segment with the advent of the new Clubman. The company says that the F54 is entering the market segment that promises the strongest growth in the future – market studies forecast an annual growth of 4% for the premium compact segment, which will account for more than 27% of the total global passenger car market by 2020.

The automaker expects the percentage of Cooper S models to account for up to a third of sales, depending on the model series, over the medium term. It added that the share of high-performance John Cooper Works model is set to almost double to 5% of the MINI model range.

Finally, there’s also a new corporate design – the change also sees the adoption of a new two-dimensional logo and fresh typography, giving it a new tonality in line with the makeover.

Anthony Lim believes that nothing is better than a good smoke and a car with character, with good handling aspects being top of the prize heap. Having spent more than a decade and a half with an English tabloid daily never being able to grasp the meaning of brevity or being succinct, he wags his tail furiously at the idea of waffling - in greater detail - about cars and all their intrinsic peculiarities here.

The new logo is disturbingly ugly. They could have went with a giant M in the center and it would have looked better… But then again, their cars has lost it’s feel/soul so whatever floats their boats huh… But then again my Austin Mini isnt exactly stock, so I cant say much neither. Awd conversion (honda bz20 drivetrain) is my proudest work.

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